Improvement in devices for detecting counterfeit coin



'1. I. TOWSEY.

DEVICE FOR DETECTING COUNTERFEIT com Patented Feb. 27, 1877.

UNrrED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

THOMAS J. TOWSEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR DETECTING COUNTERFEIT COIN.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 187,938, dated February 27, 1877; application filed December 13, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. TOWSEY, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Device for Testing the Breaking Resistance of Coins, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 represents a plan or top view. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has for its object to test the breaking resistance of coins, and to detect the spurious nature of such coins which are made of base metals, but equal in Weight and in other qualities to genuine coins.

My invention consists of a receiver, composed of a body having at each end a flange perforated for the passage of screws, to fasten it to a counter or table, and constructed with a series of vertical slots of different width, into either of which a coin of corresponding size to the slot can be placed, for testing the same, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing, the letterA designates a receiver, which is made of cast-iron or any other suitable material, and provided with flanges a perforated with holes for the reception of screws 12, by means of which the same can be readily and firmly secured on a table or counter. In the receiver A are a series of recesses, c d e f, of gradually diminishing width and depth, the first recess being intended for testing silver dollars, the second for silver halfdollars, the next for silver quarters, &c. The recess 0, therefore, is made a little wider than the thickness of a silver dollar, and its depth is about equal to the radius of such a dollar piece, while the width of the recess d is a little larger than the thickness of a fifty-cent silver piece, and its depth is about equal to the radius of such a piece, and so on. In the example shown in the drawing all the recesses o d ef are in one and the same receiver; but, if desired, a separate casting may be provided for each recess.

The coin to be tested is dropped into the corresponding recess. as shown in Fig. 2, and by pressing against its projecting edge With the thumb, its breaking resistance is ascertained. By these means the spurious nature of such coins can be ascertained which are made of base metal, and which have the same Weight and ring as genuine coin, but not the same breaking resistance.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The receiver A, formed at each end with a perforated flange, a, for the passage of screws, to secure it to a counter or table, and provided in its body with a series of vertical recesses, c d e f, of different width and depth, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 6th day of November, 1876.

THOS. J. TO WSEY.

Witnesses:

Boer. E. MILLER, E. F. KASTENHUZBER. 

